New Shrink Clear Collation Film
The new trend in packaging is to replace the carton with clear prinable film for the naked collation of cigarette packs. While Innovia Films already offers a suitable film for this purpose, the challenge was to develop a film that shrinks onto the collated packs providing a tight wrap. They’ve introduced Propafilm™ SRC as a specific response to this market need.

The film is coated on both sides with an aqueous, acrylic dispersion that is chlorine free and is available in 24 and 27 micron (95 and 110 gauge) thickness. The coating provides a barrier to water vapor, flavors, and aromas and gives the film its low sealing threshold and broad sealing range. It also prevents the film from sticking to the unit wrap film. Both sides are receptive to inks, adhesives and tear tapes. The bubble process used to produce the polypropylene base, gives the film its superior balanced shrink properties.

In order to make it easier to remove the unit wraps from the clear collations wraps, Innovia Films has also introduced two new films to overcome the problem. The first development allows the film to be peeled open along the back seal which allows packs to be removed in pairs rather than having to tear the film. The second allows the retailer or consumer to snap off two packs at a time from the collation bundle, keeping the rest of the bundle intact.

Also keeping with green theme for this year’s conference, Innovia was also pushing their NatureFlex™ line of wrapping films. NatureFlex™ films are based on renewable resources (wood-pulp from managed plantations) and use novel heatseal-resins on each side. The films are fully biodegradable and home compostable. The films are static free and offer a super wide heatseal range for outstanding machine performance. The films offer good gas barrier properties and the coatings can be tailored to provide varying degrees of moisture barrier, depending on the needs of the wrapped product. NatureFlex films are being evaluated for both unit wraps and naked collation overwrap.

Kaymich Cigarette Flavor Application Systems
Kaymich pioneered the first on-line application system in the tobacco industry for flavor/menthol application, and has just designed the AFS1000 Advanced Flavoring Application System.

The AFS1000 is designed for the on-line application of liquefied flavor during the secondary process of cigarette manufacture. The unit can apply a wide variety of flavors regardless of color or density such as pure menthol or cold flavor. Accurate to within +/- 0.2mg/cigarette, it employs a low maintenance pump that delivers near pulse-less flow.

Flavor can be applied on-line either on the making machine (cigarette paper or tobacco stream), or on the filter plug maker. The AFS1000 can also be successfully incorporated with the packer for the flavoring of foil. With online monitoring of flavor dosage and automatic eject of “out of specification” product, there is virtually no contamination during production, eliminating the need for pre-production planning.

The new design incorporates touch screen controls, dry joins for quick release, twin tanks to reduce melt time for menthol crystals, increased flow capacity up to 160 ml/min and is OEM systems compatible. The simplified set-up procedures allow for advanced flavor application for both cigarette and filter makers. It can handle dark, opaque, and clear fluids and natural or synthetic menthol crystals, has a tank capacity of 15 kg and a maximum flow rate of 160g/minute, equating to 16 mg/cigarette at 10,000 cigarettes/minute.

All of this allows the system to move easily between host machines for quick disassembly and reassembly. The AFS1000 measures 935 mm x 395 mm x 532 mm and operates at temperatures from 0°C to 70°C and functions best with the recommended viscosity of 4 centipoises at 50°C. Online help is available if needed.